Govt orders FIRs in DJB corruption cases
11 Feb 2014 6:19 AM IST
Delhi government on Monday directed the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) to register FIRs in three cases related to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), which have allegedly resulted in a total loss of Rs. 341 crore to the state exchequer.
The government has been receiving complaints from various quarters about cases of alleged fraud and it has directed the ACB to proceed in a thorough manner.
According to sources in the chief minister’s office, various works at DJB’s Bhagirathi water treatment plant in northeast Delhi were wrongly allotted to a private company at a highly inflated cost, which alone resulted in an approximate loss of Rs 158 crore to the government.
The probe has been ordered following complaints that there was a gross violation of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) manual. It is alleged that financial irregularities in the purchase of four lakh Automatic (water) Meter Readers (AMR) and Non-AMR water meters with an intent to favour one particular company, which resulted in a loss of around of Rs 150 crore to the state exchequer.
It is also alleged financial irregularities to benefit a particular private company in the purchase of 3.5 lakh non-AMR water meters, on the basis of a single tender. Such purchases led to an approximate loss of Rs 33 crore to the state exchequer.
There are allegations of fraud purportedly committed by DJB board members, engineers, contractors, consultants and other individuals. The government has found that prima facie cases can be made out in all the three matters. In the case of Bhagirathi Plant, a petition has already been filed in the Delhi High Court with a prayer to register an FIR in the alleged scam.
AAP’s -led government’s main focus has been on financial irregularities in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and Delhi Jal Board. In both cases, the investigation could lead to the door of former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit. Dikshit was the chairperson of Delhi Jal Board during her tenure as chief minister.
The government has been receiving complaints from various quarters about cases of alleged fraud and it has directed the ACB to proceed in a thorough manner.
According to sources in the chief minister’s office, various works at DJB’s Bhagirathi water treatment plant in northeast Delhi were wrongly allotted to a private company at a highly inflated cost, which alone resulted in an approximate loss of Rs 158 crore to the government.
The probe has been ordered following complaints that there was a gross violation of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) manual. It is alleged that financial irregularities in the purchase of four lakh Automatic (water) Meter Readers (AMR) and Non-AMR water meters with an intent to favour one particular company, which resulted in a loss of around of Rs 150 crore to the state exchequer.
It is also alleged financial irregularities to benefit a particular private company in the purchase of 3.5 lakh non-AMR water meters, on the basis of a single tender. Such purchases led to an approximate loss of Rs 33 crore to the state exchequer.
There are allegations of fraud purportedly committed by DJB board members, engineers, contractors, consultants and other individuals. The government has found that prima facie cases can be made out in all the three matters. In the case of Bhagirathi Plant, a petition has already been filed in the Delhi High Court with a prayer to register an FIR in the alleged scam.
AAP’s -led government’s main focus has been on financial irregularities in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and Delhi Jal Board. In both cases, the investigation could lead to the door of former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit. Dikshit was the chairperson of Delhi Jal Board during her tenure as chief minister.
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